Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced significant changes for women intending to perform Hajj in 2025. Following a decision by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), Pakistani women will be allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage without a male guardian or mahram. However, this progressive step is accompanied by a crucial requirement: women must still obtain consent from their husbands or parents to participate in the sacred journey. The conditional nature of this approval, while a step forward, reveals the continued influence of male authority over women’s religious and personal choices.
Conditional Approval for Female Pilgrims
According to the Hajj Policy 2025, the Council of Islamic Ideology’s decision in November 2023 permits women to perform Hajj without a mahram. However, as outlined in a document obtained by Geo News, women wishing to undertake the pilgrimage must submit an affidavit stating that: i) their parents or husbands have given permission, ii) they will travel with a trustworthy group of women, and iii) there is no threat to their dignity. This ruling aligns with the views of the Jafria, Maliki, and Shafi’i schools of thought in Islamic jurisprudence, which provide a legal basis for women to travel without a mahram, contingent upon male consent.
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While this policy marks a significant shift, it still maintains that male approval is a prerequisite for women’s participation in Hajj. Despite Saudi Arabia’s 2021 policy allowing women from all over the world to travel without a mahram, the Pakistani government continues to enforce the idea that women cannot fully exercise their autonomy in this spiritual journey without first receiving permission from their male guardians.
The Broader Context: Saudi and International Developments
The decision follows the landmark move by Saudi Arabia in 2021, which lifted its longstanding ban on women performing Hajj and Umrah without a mahram. This was part of Saudi Arabia’s broader social reforms aimed at enhancing women’s rights and opening up the kingdom to greater international scrutiny. Yet, while this shift was seen as a significant breakthrough, the continued male-centric approval process in Pakistan shows that traditional patriarchal structures persist, limiting women’s independence even in matters of religious pilgrimage.
In Pakistan, where societal norms remain conservative, the government’s stance is somewhat reflective of the broader tensions between advancing women’s rights and adhering to traditional religious practices. Despite these restrictions, the Pakistani government has framed the decision as a step forward for female religious freedom, noting that it grants women the opportunity to undertake the pilgrimage without male accompaniment, something that was previously forbidden. Still, the emphasis on male permission underscores the ongoing struggle for women’s full autonomy in the country.
Eligibility and Additional Requirements
Apart from the changes for women, the Hajj Policy 2025 outlines other important regulations for pilgrims. Children under the age of 12 are prohibited from participating in the pilgrimage, in accordance with Saudi regulations. Additionally, citizens with special needs or disabilities must be accompanied by an attendant, and those who are barred from traveling abroad due to legal reasons, such as being placed on the exit control list (ECL), will not be eligible for Hajj.
The government has reserved 1,000 seats under a hardship quota to accommodate special circumstances, such as broken families or women in need of a mahram, and disabled pilgrims requiring an attendant. This provision highlights the government’s sensitivity to various needs but also underscores the continuing role of male guardianship for certain women, even in cases of hardship.
A Step Forward, But Limited Progress
Pakistan’s new Hajj policy represents a notable shift in recognizing women’s right to perform the pilgrimage without a mahram. However, the requirement for spousal or parental consent reveals the limits of this progress. Women, even in religious matters, are still required to navigate a system where their autonomy is heavily mediated by male authority. While Saudi Arabia has made strides toward gender equality in religious practices, Pakistan’s adherence to male approval underscores the slow pace of change in its socio-cultural landscape.
With Pakistan’s Hajj quota for 2025 set at 179,210 pilgrims, the majority of whom will travel under the government scheme, the policy’s impact on women will be closely watched. The decision is an important step in the right direction but ultimately highlights the gap between legal reforms and their real-world application in a society where male guardianship continues to play a significant role in women’s lives.